A STRANGE EXPLOSION.
Sir,—Regarding tho strange explosion at New Plymouth, while I was relieving postmaster at Hamilton in 1878 I joined a North and South wire through clear ot Morse instruments. In a few minutes after, lightning smashed three telegraph poles near Mr. Sharp's nursery, came into the . office from the north, "made a short circuit, where I had joined the wires, cut a slice off a brass terminal 011 its ■ way to the earth terminal. Tho explosion was liko ; ' a cannon. My staff of two disappeared, one through a counter window and the other out of the backdoor in record time. The New Plymouth lightning 'made a 'short circuit from hammer to . cartridge. The • explosions .caused by the short circuit, and the cartridge would be simultaneous, and made the hammer fall and rebound. It probably would have exploded the cartridge no matter what position the hammer was in. Maketu. A. Benxer.
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New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20257, 17 May 1929, Page 14
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152A STRANGE EXPLOSION. New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20257, 17 May 1929, Page 14
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